If you normally read my column on Dirt Track Digest, then you might have missed it last week. For some unknown reason/reasons, I could not get the column to post. Hopefully, it will post this week.

Second:
Again, and for a while, there isn’t and won’t be much racing news for our area. Some car shows coming up, and usually they try to get some sprint car racing done in Pennsylvania during the month of February. Dirt and pavement modifieds will be heading to Florida in February. February 1st and 2nd is when they have the indoor races scheduled for Atlantic City.

“About the only similarity between this unique Sprint Car and its modern counterparts is that at 1,100 pounds, they weigh about the same. After that, forget it!
It may come as a surprise, but this modern racer has its roots in the late 1970s with the Arizona-native Steve Bolan. Bolan, a corporate pilot and motion picture special effects expert, wanted to create a turbine-powered Sprint Car, and this little red racer is the product of that vision. Bolan found his inspiration in Parnelli Jones’ STP turbine-powered IndyCar that was leading the 1967 Indy 500 with just three laps to go when a $6 bearing failed and caused the engine to quit. Finding the whole idea of turbine-powered racers fascinating, Bolan asked himself why not put a smaller turbine in a Sprint Car? Why not indeed!”

Fourth:

This past week they had their annual induction ceremonies for those that were inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame. Sadly, the HoF’s website still is not up. And while I did search for info on the HoF, and found the link below, that has not been updated since those that were inducted back in 2006!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Midget_Auto_Racing_Hall_of_Fame

Fifth:

According to Lucas Oil Productions, the 27th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire will be televised on Sunday February 10, 2013 on NBC Sports. The show is scheduled to begin at 4pm ET. Schedule is subject to change. Any changes we are given will be posted to www.chilibowl.com as well as our Social Media outlets.

Sixth:

Maybe by now you’ve seen the Chili Bowl results? How about that Kevin Swindell – four straight wins! Personally, I’d love to see where a Chili Bowl winner didn’t come from the front row, but maybe mid-pack.

The wife: She’s due to start her last two weeks of pills on Jan 20th, I believe it is. Last IV Chemo is on the 29th. When she finishes those two weeks of pills, then she’s done. Presently, she’s had what I guess you could say is a light case of diarrhea over the past week or so. One of the side effects of either the Chemo pills or IV Chemo treatments.

As for me – don’t know why, but lately, I just can’t sleep at night. Woke up last night (Mon) around 3:00 AM, could not get back to sleep. Got out of bed at 5:00 AM and played Internet checkers until 8:00 – thinking I might doze off. No luck there. Think I got maybe an hours sleep from 8-10 this AM. Last night – Tuesday, I woke up around 3:30 AM and tossed and turned the rest of the night.
I had an appointment with the surgeon that put the stent in my aorta.. Stent is doing its job – working perfectly, and no leaks. New problem – left side Carotid artery. Had a sonogram done and at first they were going to have me get a CAT Scan or MRI prior to next Wed, when the surgeon is in his office, but with my pacemaker/defibrillator, that MRI can’t be done. CAT Scan, with dye – could be a problem too, since the dye did a job on my kidneys when stent was put in. I have to see the surgeon next Wed to see what is next.

This is worth reading and thinking about. Pay attention to your next Social Security income, whether you get a check or an electronic deposit….note what it is now called…see below.. Have you noticed, your Social Security check is now referred to as a “Federal Benefit Payment”? I’ll be part of the one percent to forward this. I am forwarding it because it touches a nerve in me, and I hope it will in you. Please keep passing it on until everyone in our country has read it. The government is now referring to our Social Security checks as a “Federal Benefit Payment.”This isn’t a benefit – its earned income!Not only did we all contribute to Social Security but our employers did too.It totaled 15% of our income before taxes.If you averaged $30K per year over your working life, that’s close to $180,000 invested in Social Security.If you calculate the future value of your monthly investment in social security ($375/month, including both you and your employer’s contributions) at a meager 1% interest rate compounded monthly, after 40 years of working you’d have more than $1.3+ million dollars saved! This is your personal investment.Upon retirement, if you took out only 3% per year, you’d receive $39,318 per year, or $3,277 per month. That’s almost three times more than today’s average Social Security benefit of $1,230 per month, according to the Social Security Administration (Google it – it’s a fact).

And your retirement fund would last more than 33 years (until you’re 98 if you retire at age 65)!I can only imagine how much better most average-income people could live in retirement if our government had just invested our money in low-risk interest-earning accounts.Instead, the folks in Washington pulled off a bigger Ponzi scheme than Bernie Madoff ever did.They took our money and used it elsewhere. They “forgot” that it was OUR
money they were taking. They didn’t have a referendum to ask us if we wanted to lend the money to them. And they didn’t pay interest on the debt they assumed. And recently, they’ve told us that the money won’t support us for very much longer. But is it our fault they misused our investments? And now, to add insult to injury, they’re calling it a “benefit,” as if we never worked to earn every penny of it. Just because they “borrowed” the money, doesn’t mean that our investments were a charity!

Let’s take a stand. We have earned our right to Social Security and Medicare. Demand that our legislators bring some sense into our government –Find a way to keep Social Security and Medicare going, for the sake of that 92% of our population who need it.

Tenth:

Looking at the entry list for the Atlantic City race, I see there are 69 TQ’s, 55 Champ Karts, 40 600 Micro Sprints and 40 Slingshots. The last three classes are full. Also, keep in mind, in the TQ part, some are 600 Micro Sprints. Kinda funny they can get so many TQ’s for this indoor race, yet back in 2012, for outdoor races, they were lucky to draw maybe 16 cars. Go figure!

Eleventh:

The Ray Evernham Dirt Legends cars. Remember them? What ever happened with them? Last I had heard, there was only one track they raced on – the track Evernham owns.
I can recall, for a short time, back in the beginning of 2011, I believe it was, these cars were featured on the Accord Speedways website. Never did see one at Accord, however.
A couple of videos for ya, on these cars – back when they were introduced – 10/14/2010.

And, I see they did have some races in 2012 for these cars:

http://www.legendsmodified.com/index.html

Twelfth:
Actually, this was found on Facebook:

How the ‘Problem-Reaction-Solution’ Paradigm works

1. The government creates or exploits a problem then attributes blame on others.
2. The populace reacts by asking the government for protection and help to solve the problem.
3. The government offers the solution that was planned by them long before the crisis occurred.
4. Outcome: Rights and liberties are exchanged for the illusion of protection and help.

Thirteenth:
“It’s only $425 a year and it provides $250,000 in coverage.” You have any idea as to what I’m talking about? Its insurance for race drivers – those that race in cars with roll cages and the driver is belted in. Yes, Champ Karts ARE included. I questioned them on that.
A little more:
“It was the recipe for disaster: an un-insured race driver with a spinal cord injury at a track with very little coverage. But, thankfully, Tim McCreadie wasn’t paralyzed, hospitalized or facing major surgery following his nasty flip at the Chili Bowl in Tulsa on Jan. 15.

The dirt modified star from New York suffered a fractured vertebrae and must wear a back brace for another couple months before he can drive again but it could have been so much worse — in every way.

McCreadie had no personal insurance and Chili Bowl promoters Lanny Edwards and Emmit Hahn carried a paltry $25,000 policy for the 295 drivers entered in the winter indoor midget classic.

In this case, both parties are negligent.

“If Tim would have been injured like Jacques Lazier was a few years ago and required surgery it would have been a minimum of $60,000 for the operation,” said Dr. Terry Trammell, the orthopedic saviour of racers for the past three decades who examined McCreadie last week.

“If he would have been paralyzed, well, the costs to take care of him would be astronomical.”

Like many young racers, McCreadie had no coverage on himself, for disability or hospitalization. Tony Stewart admitted he never had any when he was a midget/sprint regular in USAC. Ditto for Kasey Kahne and two-time USAC sprint champ Levi Jones just started buying some when he got engaged.

“A lot of guys don’t think they can afford it but there’s a policy out there that a driver can’t afford not to have,” said Tracy Hines, the multi-USAC champ who began buying insurance when he went to NASCAR a few years ago.”
Link: http://www.stida.com/

Found on Jayski’s website:
http://www.jayski.com/

Kyle Busch signed extension with JGR in December:

#18-Kyle Busch has re-signed a long-term extension with Joe Gibbs Racing, removing one of the biggest names from the Sprint Cup Series’ impending free-agent market. Two officials with direct knowledge of the deal told USA TODAY Sports that Busch, whose contract at JGR was set to expire after the 2013 season, signed a multiyear deal in December [supposedly thru 2017]. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because the team had yet to announce the deal. The team had no comment on Busch’s contract status. Asked Thursday night by USA TODAY Sports about whether he had a deal done, Busch coyly replied that “everybody will find out on (the team’s) media day what’s coming down.” With Busch’s future secure, JGR has its three drivers under long-term deals. Denny Hamlin re-signed an extension last season, and Matt Kenseth joined the organization this year in a multiyear contract. #78-Kurt Busch, #42-Juan Pablo Montoya and #39-Ryan Newman are the biggest names who aren’t signed beyond 2013.(USA Today)(1-12-2013)

Dodge and RCR?

What’s it going to take to get Dodge Motorsports interested in NASCAR again? How about an organization such as Richard Childress Racing? One of the reasons cited for Dodge’s departure from NASCAR at the end of the 2012 season was the inability to secure an organization equal to Penske Racing’s stature. Although Dodge representatives flirted with Furniture Row Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports and Andretti Racing, nothing materialized from the meetings. However, what if Dodge could secure an organization that boasts six Cup titles, three Nationwide Series championships and two Truck titles? “I haven’t talk to anybody,” team owner Richard Childress said on Friday. “No one has approached me yet.” Still, the rumor persists.(FoxSports)(1-12-2013)

Dillon to run some race for Phoenix Racing?:

A.J. Allmendinger’s 2013 NASCAR plans are less certain. He ran a pair of races for #51 Phoenix Racing late last year after being reinstated by NASCAR, and while team owner James Finch has said Allmendinger will drive for the team again this season, it will apparently not be a full-time effort. Regan Smith is slated to steer the car in the season opener at Daytona, and reliable sources say that third-generation driver Austin Dillon will also run a handful of Sprint Cup Series races for Phoenix Racing.(Godfather Motorsports)(1-11-2013)

UPDATE:

Austin Dillon, the grandson of Richard Childress Racing’s owner, will drive a Sprint Cup car with a Hendrick Motorsports engine at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Phoenix Racing owner James Finch said during Friday’s Cup test at Daytona International Speedway that Dillon will pilot his #51 Chevy sponsored by TAG Heuer Eyewear at the March 10 race. Finch’s cars are powered by HMS engines. Dillon is running a full-time Nationwide Series schedule and about six Cup races for his grandfather, Richard Childress, as he plans to move full-time into Cup in 2014 at RCR. He is at the three-day Daytona test driving RCR’s #33 in preparation for his debut in the Daytona 500 next month. Asked how the deal came about, Finch jokingly said, “Richard is too old to mess with. Austin says they don’t have no fun.” In reality, Finch said, Tag Heuer’s existing relationship with Dillon helped put the deal together.(ESPN)(1-11-2013)

Danica vs. Ricky for Rookie of the Year:

For the first time since 2006, when Denny Hamlin beat out Clint Bowyer, Martin Truex Jr. and a host of others, there’s a legitimate rookie of the year battle. It’s not a deep class, but the intrigue of two-time Nationwide Series champion #17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr. going against former IndyCar star #10-Danica Patrick will draw a lot of attention.(ESPN), the rule used to be once a driver ran more then seven races in a season, they were not eligible for Rookie of the Year, but the rules changed when NASCAR required drivers to declare which seres to accrue points for.(1-11-2013)

Larson to NNS in 2013 and some Cup races?

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing development driver, Kyle Larson said he was going back to Charlotte on Sunday to find out what [team owner Chip] Ganassi has planned for him this season but it’s believed he’ll be driving a Target car full-time in Nationwide with a few Cup [#41?] races thrown in at the end of the year.(Robin Miller/SPEED)(1-15-2013)

Danica Patrick files for divorce:

#10-Danica Patrick has cited an “irretrievably broken” marriage as the cause for her filing for divorce with Paul Hospenthal. Patrick filed for divorce on Jan. 3 in the Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County, according to documents obtained by ESPN.com on Monday. The 30-year-old driver announced on Facebook the decision to divorce on Nov. 20, the day after she was named the most popular driver in the Nationwide Series. “My marriage is irretrievably broken and there is no reasonable prospect of reconciliation,” Patrick said in the filing that she signed on Dec. 31. According to the documents, Patrick and Hospenthal entered into a prenuptial agreement prior to their marriage in 2005 that defined property interest. She stated no alimony will be necessary.(see full post at ESPN)(1-15-2013)

NASCAR doesn’t foresee major changes after successful Daytona test:

The search for speed continued Saturday during the third day of Preseason Thunder testing at Daytona International Speedway — among NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers with their race cars still intact. After Friday’s 12-car accident during drafting practice sent many teams packing, single-car runs were the order of the day among those who stayed for the duration. On NASCAR’s part, this year’s season-opening test was a sharp contrast to that of 2012, when the sanctioning body spent three days tinkering with the superspeedway rules package in an attempt to break up two-car drafts and to scale down speeds that exceeded 206 mph. Even though the Cup series is transitioning to a new Gen-6 race car, the 2013 sessions required little manipulation on NASCAR’s part. Average lap speeds in the draft topped out at the 199.650 mph achieved Friday afternoon by 2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne, and NASCAR was comfortable with the results.
“We’re in the ballpark,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR’s vice president of competition. “We know the teams will go back, and they’ll work and they’ll bring a little bit better ‘this’ and better ‘that.’&We’re right in the ballpark, and we don’t foresee any changes.” Pemberton acknowledged that one consideration in designing the Gen-6 cars was breaking up the tandem racing, which was not a fan favorite. “When it was new, it was cool,” Pemberton said of the aggressive two-car push-drafting. “When it was a couple races old, the coolness wore off of it. It was something that wasn’t very normal for us. If you saw us last year at this time, we left this race track drafting at 206 miles an hour and went back and made rule changes based on trying to minimize the advantage of doing that (tandem drafting) and to minimize the appetite to do that, knowing that — if it was the fastest way around — you would do that late in the race to win the race.”(NASCAR Wire Service)(1-13-2013)

After a ten year run, the North East Enduro Tour Series (NEETS) is all finished.

Brett Hearn was voted as the Northeast driver of the year by the membership of the Eastern Motorsports Press Association. Doug Wolfgang was inducted into the EMPA’s Hall of Fame.

Eldora will not expand it’s seating capacity for the NASCAR Truck race.

Ryan Godown picked up a nice amount of money for winning the New Egypt Modified championship. Well, to me $10,000.00 is a nice amount!

Chad Little has been promoted from the NASCAR Modified Series (Series director) to the Truck Series, as their director.

Local teenage driving star Tyler Dippel was planning on running at Charlotte in the US Legends racing series, but a slight malfunction while riding an ATV put the damper on that plan. It seems Mr. Dippel broke his tibia in two places.

A full page ad for this weekends Motor Sports show, put on by the AARN – with show dates being January 18, 19 & 20. The show is held at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA. Some of those that will be attending are Michael Waltrip, Parnelli Jones, Austin and Ty Dillon, Bones Bourcier, Kenny Brightbill, Brett Hearn, Doug Coby, Stewart Friesen, Jimmy Zacharias and many others.

Shane Hmiel will be behind the wheel again, in a race car at Rockingham on January 26th.

Borgers will run at least two ATQMRA sanctioned races in 2013.

ARCA is dropping the driver minimum age to 17.

ARCA held a test session at Daytona for three days. 61 drivers tested.

Guy Smith made some of the races at the Tulsa Expo Center – those that had 600 Micros and 1200 Mini Sprints and six other divisions. The wingless A-Class Micros had 239 entrants. They had 30 heats, 6 qualifiers, 10 C-Mains, 8 B-Mains, a last chance qualifier and an A-Main.
Wingless 1200 Mini Sprints had 4 heats and 4 qualifiers, 2 B-Mains and an A-Main.
Wingless “Outlaw” Micros had 26 heats, 6 qualifiers, 8 C-Mains, 8 B-Mains a last chance race and an A-Main.
The Junior Sprints kid class had 6 heats, 3 B-Mains and an A-Main.
The winged A-Class Micros had 24 heats, 6 qualifiers, 6 C-Mains, 8 B-Mains and an A-Main.
The ECOtec Midgets had 3 heats, 3 qualifiers and an A-Main.
The restricted A-Class Micros had 10 heats, 4 qualifiers, 5 B-Mains, a last chance race and an A-Main.
The Winged Outlaws had 19 heat, 6 qualifiers, 4 C-Mains, 6 B-Mains, a last chance race and an A-Main.
All those races were held the week previous to the Chili Bowl.

Lenny Sammons:
In his column, he made mention of Bruce Buckwalter, Sr. resigning as President of the ARDC. Vice President Greg Fitzpatrick has taken over as President and Ron Lauer is the new Vice President.

Mr. Sammons also makes mention that Lucas Wolfe has tested a F-3000 open wheel car recently at the track in Sonoma, CA. Wolfe, and sponsor of Greg O’Neil hope to advance to Indianapolis Car racing. Next, for Wolfe is testing in an Indy Lights car, although that is rather expensive.

In AARN
This Week – January 15th edition:

‘Ridiculous’ Kevin Swindell
Chili Bowl Win
Is Fourth Straight

Zemco To Run,
Distribute Eagle
Sprint Car Chassis

Bridgeport Speedway
Will Stay
In Hoffman Family Hands

Motorsports 2013 Show
Set For Weekend
At Greater Phila. Expo Center

Strunk, Hansell Team Splits;
Howard, Hyneman To Run
Partial Schedule

New All Star Pro Cup
Post-Season Race
Announced By New Egypt Speedway

Delaware International Speedway
Crowns Its 2012 Season Champions

Ohio’s Historic K-C /
Atomic Speedway Is For Sale

NASCAR Daytona Test Session
Stymied By Huge Crash

Rob Fuller Heads
For Full Time NASCAR
Whelen Tour Stint
With New Sponsor

Waterford Speedbowl
Champions Crowned;
New Season Awaits

Press Releases:
Swedesboro, NJ (January 14, 2013) – Following up on his brother’s dream of developing Bridgeport Speedway into a premier racing facility, Keith Hoffman has assumed the remaining term of a two year lease and will operate the South Jersey complex in 2013 following the unfortunate Christmas Eve passing of Doug Hoffman. In addition, Dave Adams is returning to Bridgeport Speedway and will be the promoter for the upcoming season.

“I am honored to carry on Doug’s dream of running Bridgeport Speedway,” stated Keith Hoffman. Hoffman and Adams met with track owner Brian Ramey recently to complete the deal. A tentative schedule for the 2013 season has been created and will mimic the lineup from last year. On Friday nights, Micro-Sprints (270cc and 600cc) and 4-Cylinder Stock Cars will battle it out on the quarter-mile oval. Action on Saturday nights will switch to the big 5/8th mile track and will feature Big Block Modifieds, Crate Sportsmen, and Outlaw Stock Cars. Hoffman and Adams are in the initial phase of supplementing the tentative schedule with additional events.

The opening race for the season will be on Saturday, March 30 with “The 60 Over Special” Race of Champions Big Block Modified race in honor of Doug Hoffman. This 60-lap event will mark the first event of the Big Block Modified Poker Series for 2013. The Crate Sportsmen are on the card with the first hand of their Poker Series and will be joined by the full-fendered action of the Outlaw Stock Cars.

Hoffman and Adams along with several Bridgeport Speedway employees will greet fans and racers alike at the upcoming 2013 Motorsports Show at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA on January 18 through January 20. Discounted Pit Licenses will be offered at the show for competitors and team members. Also at the Motorsports show, reserved parking spots can be secured for the 2013 season along with information on various sponsorships including Nights of Racing and seasonal rentals of Bridgeport’s luxurious Sky Boxes.

Bridgeport Speedway provides a safe and secure family atmosphere, free parking, giveaways, and fan participation games. As a premier racing complex, Bridgeport Speedway is a banked 5/8th mile dirt oval, featuring a dirt 1/4 mile oval embedded in the center, and is located in Southern New Jersey — just minutes from Pennsylvania and Delaware at exit 14 off of I-295.

News from BD Motorsports Media & Friesen-Deyo Promotions
Media Contact: Brett Deyo – Deyo99H@aol.com or 845.728.2781
For Immediate Release/Jan. 16, 2013
BD Motorsports Media & Friesen-Deyo Promotions in High Gear for Motorsports 2013; Active Display Planned This Weekend; Find Out Who Will Drive Norm Hansell’s No. 357
OAKS, PA – BD Motorsports Media and Friesen-Deyo Promotions are in high gear heading into Motorsports 2013 this weekend Jan. 18-20 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pa.
The 28th edition of the Len Sammons-promoted ‘Mid-Winter Motorsports Happening’ features 250,000 square feet of nothing but racing and more than 200 race cars on hand plus vendors, speedway displays, sanctions, vintage clubs, driver autographs and much more. BD Motorsports Media returns for its third appearance at the popular January showcase.
Set up in an expansive, 600-square-foot display in booths No. 216-218 & 316-318, fans and competitors will have an all-access pass to information on the 2013 BD Motorsports Media special events at Penn Can (Pa.) Speedway (June 11 ‘Clash at the Can’ and Oct. 18 ‘King of the Can’ programs) and Five Mile Point (N.Y.) Speedway (Oct. 12 Short Track SuperNationals), in addition to the inaugural Friesen-Deyo Promotions ‘Dirty Jersey 60’ Super DIRTcar Series event to be co-promoted by Stewart Friesen and Brett Deyo at New Egypt (N.J.) Speedway on June 18.
Hot off the presses from Bob Hilbert Sportswear, the eye-catching ‘Dirty Jersey’ 60 apparel – including tee shirts ($20), long-sleeve shirts ($22) and hooded sweatshirt ($30) – will be on sale. The first 100 shirt customers will receive a FREE BD Motorsports Media can koozie with their purchase.
Registration forms will be available for the Berks-Schuylkill Oil Heat Association 28th annual Racing Legends Reunion & Car Show Feb. 24-March 2 at the Fairgrounds Square Mall in Reading, Pa. A draw among early show entries will reward one team with a complimentary $50 gas card.
On Saturday (Jan. 19) at 1:30 p.m., an autograph session is planned featuring Ryan Godown Stewart Friesen, Jeff Strunk, Doug Manmiller, Mike Mahaney, Ryan Watt and Neal Williams. Custom posters will be provided to the first 100 fans to stop by.
Displayed in the booth will be Ryan Godown’s John Chemidlin-backed No. 747, last year’s New Egypt Speedway championship combination and ‘King of the Can’ winner, and the famed Norm Hansell Motorsports No. 357, which features a rich history in Keystone State Modified racing. Motorsports attendees will be the first to know who will pilot Hansell’s equipment in the upcoming season!
On Saturday (Jan. 19) at 7:30 p.m. Friesen will announce the support division for the June 18 ‘Dirty Jersey 60’ Super DIRTcar Series event at New Egypt while he is recognized by Area Auto Racing News on stage as the Northeast’s Leading Winner from ’12.
To learn more about BD Motorsports Media or Friesen-Deyo Promotions, visit www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com, e-mailDeyo99H@aol.com or “like” BD Motorsports Media on Facebook. Official ‘Dirty Jersey 60’ information is also available online atwww.stewartfriesen.com.

I get e-mails:

Here’s just part of an e-mail I got the other day:
“John Noveske is one of the most celebrated battle rifle manufacturers in America. His rifles, found at www.NoveskeRifleworks.com are widely recognized as some of the finest pieces of American-made hardware ever created. (I own one of his rifles, and it’s a masterpiece of a machine that just keeps on running.) Sadly, John Noveske was killed in a mysterious car crash just a few days ago, on January 4, 2013.

According to the Outdoor Wire, his car “traveled across the oncoming lane onto the dirt highway shoulder until it struck two large boulders. The vehicle rolled and Mr. Noveske was ejected.”

But barely a week before this incident, John Noveske posted a lengthy, detailed post on Facebook that listed all the school shootings tied to psychiatric drugs. At the end of the post, he asked, “What drugs was Adam Peter Lanza on?”

This is the last post John Noveske made on his Facebook page before he was killed:

Eric Harris age 17 (first on Zoloft then Luvox) and Dylan Klebold aged 18 (Columbine school shooting in Littleton, Colorado), killed 12 students and 1 teacher, and wounded 23 others, before killing themselves. Klebold’s medical records have never been made available to the public.

Jeff Weise, age 16, had been prescribed 60 mg/day of Prozac (three times the average starting dose for adults!) when he shot his grandfather, his grandfather’s girlfriend and many fellow students at Red Lake, Minnesota. He then shot himself. 10 dead, 12 wounded.

Cory Baadsgaard, age 16, Wahluke (Washington state) High School, was on Paxil (which caused him to have hallucinations) when he took a rifle to his high school and held 23 classmates hostage. He has no memory of the event.

Chris Fetters, age 13, killed his favorite aunt while taking Prozac.

Christopher Pittman, age 12, murdered both his grandparents while taking Zoloft.

Mathew Miller, age 13, hung himself in his bedroom closet after taking Zoloft for 6 days.

Kip Kinkel, age 15, (on Prozac and Ritalin) shot his parents while they slept then went to school and opened fire killing 2 classmates and injuring 22 shortly after beginning Prozac treatment.

Luke Woodham, age 16 (Prozac) killed his mother and then killed two students, wounding six others.

A boy in Pocatello, ID (Zoloft) in 1998 had a Zoloft-induced seizure that caused an armed stand off at his school.

Michael Carneal (Ritalin), age 14, opened fire on students at a high school prayer meeting in West Paducah, Kentucky. Three teenagers were killed, five others were wounded..

A young man in Huntsville, Alabama (Ritalin) went psychotic chopping up his parents with an ax and also killing one sibling and almost murdering another.

TJ Solomon, age 15, (Ritalin) high school student in Conyers, Georgia opened fire on and wounded six of his class mates.

Rod Mathews, age 14, (Ritalin) beat a classmate to death with a bat.

James Wilson, age 19, (various psychiatric drugs) from Breenwood, South Carolina, took a .22 caliber revolver into an elementary school killing two young girls, and wounding seven other children and two teachers.

Elizabeth Bush, age 13, (Paxil) was responsible for a school shooting in Pennsylvania

Jarred Viktor, age 15, (Paxil), after five days on Paxil he stabbed his grandmother 61 times.

Chris Shanahan, age 15 (Paxil) in Rigby, ID who out of the blue killed a woman.

Jeff Franklin (Prozac and Ritalin), Huntsville, AL, killed his parents as they came home from work using a sledge hammer, hatchet, butcher knife and mechanic’s file, then attacked his younger brothers and sister.

Neal Furrow (Prozac) in LA Jewish school shooting reported to have been court-ordered to be on Prozac along with several other medications.

Kevin Rider, age 14, was withdrawing from Prozac when he died from a gunshot wound to his head. Initially it was ruled a suicide, but two years later, the investigation into his death was opened as a possible homicide. The prime suspect, also age 14, had been taking Zoloft and other SSRI antidepressants.

Alex Kim, age 13, hung himself shortly after his Lexapro prescription had been doubled.

Diane Routhier was prescribed Welbutrin for gallstone problems. Six days later, after suffering many adverse effects of the drug, she shot herself.

Billy Willkomm, an accomplished wrestler and a University of Florida student, was prescribed Prozac at the age of 17. His family found him dead of suicide – hanging from a tall ladder at the family’s Gulf Shore Boulevard home in July 2002.

Kara Jaye Anne Fuller-Otter, age 12, was on Paxil when she hung herself from a hook in her closet. Kara’s parents said “…. the damn doctor wouldn’t take her off it and I asked him to when we went in on the second visit. I told him I thought she was having some sort of reaction to Paxil…”)

Gareth Christian, Vancouver, age 18, was on Paxil when he committed suicide in 2002,
(Gareth’s father could not accept his son’s death and killed himself.)

Julie Woodward, age 17, was on Zoloft when she hung herself in her family’s detached garage.

Matthew Miller was 13 when he saw a psychiatrist because he was having difficulty at school. The psychiatrist gave him samples of Zoloft. Seven days later his mother found him dead, hanging by a belt from a laundry hook in his closet.

Kurt Danysh, age 18, and on Prozac, killed his father with a shotgun. He is now behind prison bars, and writes letters, trying to warn the world that SSRI drugs can kill.

Woody ____, age 37, committed suicide while in his 5th week of taking Zoloft. Shortly before his death his physician suggested doubling the dose of the drug. He had seen his physician only for insomnia. He had never been depressed, nor did he have any history of any mental illness symptoms.

A boy from Houston, age 10, shot and killed his father after his Prozac dosage was increased.

Hammad Memon, age 15, shot and killed a fellow middle school student. He had been diagnosed with ADHD and depression and was taking Zoloft and “other drugs for the conditions.”

Matti Saari, a 22-year-old culinary student, shot and killed 9 students and a teacher, and wounded another student, before killing himself. Saari was taking an SSRI and a benzodiazapine.

Steven Kazmierczak, age 27, shot and killed five people and wounded 21 others before killing himself in a Northern Illinois University auditorium. According to his girlfriend, he had recently been taking Prozac, Xanax and Ambien. Toxicology results showed that he still had trace amounts of Xanax in his system.

Finnish gunman Pekka-Eric Auvinen, age 18, had been taking antidepressants before he killed eight people and wounded a dozen more at Jokela High School – then he committed suicide.
Asa Coon from Cleveland, age 14, shot and wounded four before taking his own life. Court records show Coon was on Trazodone.

Jon Romano, age 16, on medication for depression, fired a shotgun at a teacher in his
New York high school.

Missing from list… 3 of 4 known to have taken these same meds….

What drugs was Jared Lee Loughner on, age 21…… killed 6 people and injuring 14 others in Tuscon, Az

What drugs was James Eagan Holmes on, age 24….. killed 12 people and injuring 59 others in Aurora Colorado

10. Wal-Mart has approx 3,900 stores in the USA of which 1,906 are Super Centers; this is 1,000 more than it had five years ago.

11. This year 7.2 billion different purchasing experiences will occur at Wal-Mart stores. (Earth’s population is approximately 6.5 Billion.)

12. 90% of all Americans live within fifteen miles of a Wal-Mart.

You may think that I am complaining, but I am really laying the ground work for suggesting that MAYBE we should hire the guys who run Wal-Mart to fix the economy.

This should be read and understood by all Americans… Democrats, Republicans, EVERYONE!!

To President Obama and all 535 voting members of the Legislature

It is now official that the majority of you are corrupt morons:

a.. The U.S.Postal Service was established in 1775. You have had 237 years to get it right and it is broke.

b.. Social Security was established in 1935. You have had 77 years to get it
right and it is broke.

c.. Fannie Mae was established in 1938.You have had 74 years to get it right
and it is broke.

d.. War on Poverty started in 1964. You have had 48 years to get it right;
$1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to “the
poor” and they only want more.

e.. Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965. You have had 47 years to get it right and they are broke.

f.. Freddie Mac was established in 1970.You have had 42 years to get it right
and it is broke.

g.. The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil.It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before. You had 35 years to get it right and it is an abysmal failure.

You have FAILED in every “government service” you have shoved down our
throats while overspending our tax dollars.

AND YOU WANT AMERICANS TO BELIEVE YOU CAN BE TRUSTED WITH A GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM??

Folks, keep this circulating.It is very well stated. Maybe it will end up in the e-mails of some of our “duly elected’ (they never read anything) and their staff will clue them in on how Americans feel.

AND

I know what’s wrong. We have lost our minds to “Political Correctness” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Someone please tell me what the HELL’s wrong with all the people that run this country!!!!!!

In the last months we have provided aid to Haiti , Chile, Japan and Turkey..And now Pakistan ……..previous home of bin Laden. Literally, BILLIONS of DOLLARS!!!

Our retired seniors living on a ‘fixed income’ receive no aid nor do they get any breaks…

AMERICA: a country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed hungry, elderly going without ‘needed’ meds, and mentally ill without treatment -etc, etc.

Imagine if the *GOVERNMENT* gave ‘US’ the same support they give to other countries. Sad isn’t it?

99% of people won’t have the guts to forward this.

I’m one of the 1% — I Just Did

And these:
Why does the government always want to reduce social security payments that every working person pays into all their working life, but they never threaten to reduce welfare that most of the recipients have never paid a penny towards?

Our own Tea Party News Network Director Scottie Nell-Hughes bravely went in to enemy territory and took on far left anti gun loon Piers Morgan on his own CNN show tonight. In true leftist Saul Alinsky fashion, when Scottie threw fact after fact out to Piers and reminded him that our founding fathers wrote the 2nd amendment so the US citizenry would always be armed to protect against a potential tyrannical government, all Morgan could do in response was try to demean and shut Scottie up and throw emotional stories at her from the audience. Do Americans really need some Brit whose country we stopped from taking our arms in 1776 come to our country and lecture us about our right to bear arms?

And this one, too:

Just my two cents on Government boys and girls. Although I despise political posts beyond words, I felt the need to use the good old platform of social media as a soapbox.

Government isn’t all that complicated. Here’s a few tips for the “nimrods” that were elected, or for the most part, re-elected for whatever reason.

1) There is no war on women. In fact, they have a lot more power than men, believe me. I am yet to see a news story since the election talking about the battles of the sexes proving my point further. For those of you that bought into that diversion, congratulations, you’re a sheep.
2) Gay marriage? I mean really? You can’t help who you love. I don’t understand it, being the heterosexual male that I am, but I don’t fear it either. Stop making it an issue, noooooooooooooooooobody cares. Live and let live. Pretty simple fix to the argument.
3) Stop taking the people’s money. We live within our means, so should you. Tell old Benny boy to stop printing so much damn money…..it’s killing us.
4) You don’t know what’s best for us. Just protect us, do what we ask you to do and call it a day.
5) Guns are not assault weapons. The people behind them are. End of list.
6) Socialism/Communism doesn’t work. I.E., see the “former” USSR for details.
7) We ARE NOT the world police. Albeit that was a funny movie, it’s not our job. Let the “UN” do what they are supposed to do.
8) Stop giving money away. Pretty simple.
9) Bring home the manufacturing jobs and the economy will thrive. I’ll bet my left hazel nut that I’m correct.
10) Though I feel the need to keep it clean, please reel in the EPA. The idealistic tree huggers that they are don’t care about the environment. Not in the abstract at least. Besides, the majority of them haven’t set foot on a hiking trail or spent any time in the real world as it is. Getting advise from them would be like calling a Lemming crisis hotline.
11) Stop encouraging people to be victims.
12) Stop encouraging people NOT to work. You’re not doing them any favors. You’re just creating a way of life that is being passed on from generation to generation.
13) Energy independence is possible, see #10 for basic reasoning to this claim.
14) Socialism/Communism works really well until you run out of the people’s money. Just saying.
15) Political correctness and affirmative action are just about the most racist ideas on the planet. Stop making people out to be victims for crying out loud. If they actually are victims, make a really good example of the bigots that pulled the proverbial trigger.
16) Capital punishment is a good thing. If someone takes a life, take theirs back. It’s a hell of a lot cheaper in the long run.
17) Stop arguing about abortion. I don’t like as much as the next person, but it’s here, it’s been through the courts, it’s not going to be overturned.
18) Capitalism/Free Enterprise is actually a good thing. When companies compete, the consumer wins. When the consumer wins they spend money. When they spend money, the economy wins. Not a difficult concept.

I’m sure there are more but this is just a short list. Agree, disagree, I don’t care. However, I’ve said it and I feel better for it. No more politics for this guy…..until 2016 that is. I’ll be the guy with the big old “I Told You So” sign.

And this one, also:

I must say thank you to President Obama today. He has done such a great thing by asking Congress to limit so-called “assault rifles” and high capacity magazines. We will see an immediate drop in violent crimes and mass shootings because as we all know, criminals don’t know how to reload!

And then there was this, which was linked to on Facebook:

HURT: Gun edicts put personal liberty under fire

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

In part:

“Where is the liberal outrage? Where is the liberal suspicion about powerful, unchecked governments? Where is the liberal unflinching devotion to individual liberty?
We have a president who has radically reshaped the landscape of American government so that it is more of a behemoth than at any time in history and more involved in every aspect of our lives. It is also more unanswerable than ever before.
Now this president is issuing 19 new edicts aimed at curbing individuals’ gun rights. At the same time, his federal agencies are stockpiling more and more weapons and ammunition.
And for what, exactly? To go hunting? To shoot the Chinese when they come to collect their debts? To shoot Mexicans tumbling over the Southern border? To shoot the Canadians?

What does the Department of “Homeland Security” suddenly need 1.4 billion more rounds of ammunition at the very point the same government is making it harder for citizens to arm themselves?
There are only 300 million of us. How many bullets do you need? That’s more than four bullets for every American man, woman and child. Is your aim really that bad? I mean, have you seen us lately? We are too fat to run very far.
You can say these concerns are some sort of Alex Jones, wack-nut, black helicopter paranoia or you can simply ask, “Why does the government need a billion more rounds of ammo just as it is trying to disarm citizens?”
And the lists. The lists of people who are deemed too mentally unstable to own a gun.
A principled liberal would be horrified at the notion that the government is going to keep giant lists of people who are criminals or who are deemed crazy or dangerous. And even more breathtaking is that these lists will be used to determine the degree of freedom those individuals will be granted by the government.
Do you remember the liberal outrage over the huge government list to keep people deemed dangerous from flying on airplanes? Ted Kennedy is turning over in his grave.
Now, of course, no one rightly objects to finding reasonable ways to keep criminals and wackos from getting their hands on guns. But it is shocking how easily and freely liberals have gone along with the notion of more giant government lists of crazy and bad people.
Then there is the debt-ceiling debate where we have a president who refuses to conduct an open debate over raising it. President Obama orders Congress to simply authorize the government to borrow for him a ton more money. And if they don’t comply with his wishes, then he will seek to take that power away from them.”

Lots more on this can be seen if you go here: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jan/16/hurt-gun-edicts-put-personal-liberty-under-fire/#.UPcB6G9jFM1.facebook

Found on the Internet:

While on the Internet on Wednesday afternoon, I came across this:

What do the shootings of Gabby Giffords in Arizona, at Sandy Hook, and Aurora Colorado have in common?

In each case, the killer was a highly intelligent young man, with KNOWN mental health issues. In each case there was known reason to have these men committed. Holmes out in Colorado had been under the care of a professor who had reported him to campus police for his violent fantasies, Loughner in AZ. had multiple restraining orders due to his insanity, and Lanza was known to have issues his entire life.

This just goes to show that it is not necessary to take away the rights of law abiding folks, in order to stop these types of shootings. These men were obviously mentally ill, and had no business being on the streets at the time. Had there been proper action, these tragedies would have been averted. Yes, Sandy Hook would have never happened, had Adam Lanza’s mother been allowed to have her son institutionalized, as she was attempting.

It’s not about the guns or the number of bullets, it is about the poor state of our mental healthcare system, that lets these people loose on the streets. Until this is addressed, the violence WILL continue, regardless of how many rights are taken from the public.

‘Shameless’: Obama to Surround Himself with Children for Gun-Grabbing Announcement
http://standwitharizona.com/blog/2013/01/15/shameless-obama-to-surround-himself-with-children-for-gun-grabbing-announcement/

Over these next few weeks I’ll be putting in some links to videos of some of the worlds best drivers. This week it is Jim Clark. These videos will be about an hour in length.

http://vimeo.com/4228678

Photos:
Note: The photos are not available on Dirt Track Digest, only on New England Tractor – http://newenglandtractor.com/racereport/
Jud Larson – relaxed as he takes the Pfrommer Offy through a turn in this Walt Imlay photo. For me, these Sprint Cars were beautiful – more so than what we have today.

Closing with these:
Proofreading is a dying art, wouldn’t you say?

Man Kills Self Before Shooting Wife and Daughter

This one I caught in the SGV Tribune the other day and called the Editorial Room and asked who wrote this. It took two or three readings before the editor realized that what he was reading was impossible!!! They put in a correction the next day.

This Week in Racing

Feature Column

By JEREMY ELLIOTT (Patriot News) No matter how big the media outlet – ESPN, USA Today or CNN – it can’t take away the one common characteristic of a Sprint Car fan: passion. If anything, it enhances it. When the sport is put in a bad light on a national stage, the numbers on the cars or men in the seat no longer matter. This clan rallies around the sport as a whole and flips the middle finger to the rest of the world. That’s one of many things that makes Sprint Car racing great. But it’s also one of…More

"

Super DIRTcar Series

INDIANAPOLIS – Dec. 11, 2014 – The Super DIRTcar Series announced today at the Performance Racing Industry tradeshow a combination of traditional events and races at new venues will make up its 2015 schedule. The 29-race series kicks off during the DIRTcar Nationals presented by Summit Racing Equipment Feb. 18-21 at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. The series championship begins April 25 with a 100-lapper at Fulton (N.Y.) Speedway before an exciting Wednesday night return on May 20 to Canandaigua (N.Y.) Speedway followed on Wednesday, May 27, to Brockville Ontario Speedway. A four-race slate of events in June begins…More

World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series

BARBERVILLE, Fla. – Feb. 13, 2015 – Daryn Pittman took the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series season opener Friday night with an epic last lap pass of the reigning series champion Donny Schatz. Just a lap sooner the feature win was in Schatz’s sights as he approached the lapped car of Kraig Kinser. Schatz dove low in turns three and four to make the pass but was not able to make the line stick. As he exited the turn his Bad Boy Buggies car drifted up the track and over the cushion. Pittman saw his opportunity. “When I saw…More

World of Outlaws Late Model Car Series

By JOSHUA JOINER OCALA, Fla. – Feb. 13, 2015 – Turning around his sluggish start to the season, Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., topped a late duel with Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., during Friday’s DIRTcar UMP-sanctioned A-Main at Bubba Raceway Park to earn a $5,000 victory during the opening night of the fourth annual Bubba Army Winter Nationals. Lanigan, the three-time and defending World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion, rallied after losing the lead to Richards on lap 20 of the 30-lapper and retook command when Richards struggled with traffic on lap 26. The 44-year-old Lanigan pulled away…More

Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series

GIBSONTON, FL – “We just missed the set-up in that first race tonight; we had just enough time to make some adjustments for this race. We won that first heat so that put us on the pole. The car was really good. I had a little bit of a push getting into turn two, but otherwise, the car was not a handful like the previous nights. I was hoping maybe Jr. could get up there so we could take first and second.” “I have so many people to thank; Messilla Valley Transportation, Henderson Motorsports, Watters Auto Land, Clements Engines, Longhorn Chassis,…More

DIRTcar 358 and Sportsman Tours

CONCORD, N.C. – Feb. 4, 2015 – DIRTcar 358-Modified racers will have more incentive than ever to race not only their home tracks this season, but also the series in the fall. In addition to the traditional post Labor Day series events, drivers will earn points during the season from the new Super Series Starter (SSS) Events at their weekly tracks. The 2015 358-Modified Series Championship combines Home Track Points, plus “SSS” points, plus points from the Fall Series events to equal the Championship. The weekly track Mr. DIRTcar program similar to last year’s runs from now until Sept. 6…More